A DESPERATELY ill Birmingham woman was sexually assaulted and harassed by a ward volunteer as she lay helpless in her hospital bed.

The woman was suffering pneumonia at Good Hope Hospital and unable to escape the clutches of the sex fiend who repeatedly appeared at her side making lewd advances.

The married woman from Boldmere, who is too frightened to be named, said the crunch point came when the ward volunteer tried to climb into bed with her during the two week stay. She was unable to move because she was wired up to medical equipment.

Good Hope bosses have promised that the man, in his 50s, will never work as a volunteer at the hospital again and have warned other hospital trusts about him.

But his 64-year-old victim has criticised police for only issuing him with a caution for the offence.

"I was petrified and so ill, but he kept turning up day after day," said the pensioner.

"He brought the tea round and was friendly at first, but then he said the most disgusting sexual things and wouldn't leave me alone.

"He always seemed to come when no-one else was around and would describe what he wanted to do to me. "He even kissed me, but I was strapped to a machine and couldn't escape.

"The police later told me he admitted everything and so they gave him a caution.

"I complained that it wasn't enough, but the police officer's response was that he had been humiliated in front of his family."

The patient had sessions with Victim Support to help her get over the ordeal in June last year.

Andy Comber, spokesman for Good Hope Hospital, said bosses had informed other hospitals about the unpaid volunteer.

"We were extremely concerned about the allegations and the police were immediately called in to investigate," said Mr Comber.

"We have also reviewed our procedures to ensure we do everything in our power to make sure our patients are safe while in our care."

West Midlands Police confirmed a man was cautioned for sexual assault in connection with the Good Hope case.

"A number of factors are taken into consideration for a caution, including any previous convictions, whether the person has fully admitted the offence and the likely sentence if the case got to court," said a police spokeswoman.

She said the caution should still show up on a full criminal record check if the man applied to be a volunteer at another hospital.